The Energy Mix

The Energy Mix 08/28/2019, Brought to you by Smarter Shift

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Liberals Would Not Raise Carbon Tax During a Second Term, But Might Talk About It: McKenna

A re-elected Liberal government that took office this fall would not raise the federal carbon tax above its current 2022 threshold of C$50 per tonne, but might open consultations on a higher price toward the end of its second term in office, Environment and Climate Minister Catherine McKenna clarified Monday, after a series of conflicting news reports dating back to the weekend.

Canada, UK Boost Their Green Climate Fund Contributions, Still Fall Short of Fair Share

Canada and the United Kingdom both announced new contributions to the United Nations Green Climate Fund (GCF) during last weekend’s G7 meeting in France, but Canada’s announcement brought immediate concern the level of funding would short-change the countries most affected by the climate crisis.

Ontario Government Lays Groundwork to Abandon Legal Fight Against Federal Carbon Tax

Less than two months after a landmark Ontario Court of Appeals ruling upheld the federal carbon tax, Premier Doug Ford may be preparing the ground to abandon his much-publicized court challenge against the program.

Automakers Side with California Against Trump’s Fuel Economy Rollback

Major automakers are siding with California against the Trump administration’s push to roll back Obama-era vehicle efficiency standards, as they scramble to dodge years of court battles and regulatory uncertainty and bolster their public credibility in the face of a mounting climate crisis.

Microgrids Can Deliver Decentralized Power, Boost Renewable Energy Use and Improve Public Health

Microgrids come in at #78 on Drawdown’s list of climate solutions. Defined as locally-managed electricity generation systems, microgrids can be powered by renewable resources like micro-wind, solar power, in-stream hydro, and biomass energy—whatever resources are available. Drawdown doesn’t quantify the carbon reduction value of microgrids independently, but includes their positive impact in its calculations for each energy source.

Drawdown is an inventory of the 100 top options for reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and stabilizing the global climate. The Energy Mix is summarizing the 100 chapters as a service to readers. Get details and buy the book here.

Candidates Push Back After Democratic Party Refuses to Hold Climate Debate

The U.S. Democratic National Committee (DNC)’s recent decision to double down against any kind of climate debate that would find the party’s candidates sharing a stage—and airing a wide spectrum of opinions on what climate action should look like—has left a number of 2020 hopefuls angry, youth climate activists disillusioned, and a corruption watchdog crying foul.

Tesla Reboots Lagging Solar Rental Business as Walmart Sues Over Rooftop Panel Fires

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans to reboot his company’s lagging solar division by offering rooftop panels for rent in six U.S. states, just days before Walmart filed a lawsuit over seven fires it linked to Tesla rooftop installations between 2012 and 2018.

G7 Wrap: Brazil Conditionally Accepts Some Wildfire Aid as Trump Skips Key Climate Discussion

Brazil closed off a chaotic end to this week’s G7 meeting in France by accepting some of the financial aid countries had offered to fight out-of-control wildfires in the Amazon rainforest, after President Jair Bolsonaro initially turned down the funds and questioned the motives behind the offer.

Turkey Postpones or Cancels 70 GW of Coal Capacity Since 2009

Turkey has either indefinitely postponed or officially cancelled an estimated 70 gigawatts of new coal capacity since 2009, as a faltering economy and a determined environmental movement all but permanently buried the country’s earlier plans to expand its thermal coal power plant fleet.

Federal Rebate Needed to Prevent Canada from ‘Missing the Bus’ on Electrified Transit

If Canada wants transit agencies to buy more electric buses, it should introduce the kind of simple, predictable, easily accessible funding that is jump-starting adoption of electric vehicles, Fernando Melo of Clean Energy Canada and Robert Parsons of the University of Manitoba argue in a post for Policy Options.

New Approach to Geothermal Requires No Fracking or Water, Produces No GHG Emissions

A first-of-its-kind approach to geothermal energy that uses no fracking or water and produces no greenhouse gas emissions is turning heads in central Alberta, where Calgary-based Eavor Technologies is building a C$10-million pilot plant.

High Arctic Melting Stores Carbon in Glacier-Fed Rivers

Melting glaciers are one of the iconic impacts of climate change, but the watersheds they feed sequester a surprising amount of carbon, according to a new paper published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.